I’ve recently become enamoured of the work of Norman Grant, a Scottish silversmith (and occasionally goldsmith) who produced gorgeous work from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. Grant used enamel beautifully; he also favoured organic shapes such as bubbles, circles and peacock feather-like details. Apparently he drew a lot of his inspiration from the nature he observed around him. His use of colour was beautiful too – he favoured mainly blues and purples, but also reds, oranges, ochres and browns.
There are several designs of his which I particularly love. The first is his ‘bubble’ jewellery, featuring open circles of silver, sometimes arranged randomly and sometimes like the petals of a flower.
Norman Grant enamel and sterling silver pendant, hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1979. (NOW SOLD).
Norman Grant sterling silver ring, 1978 Edinburgh hallmark. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).
The second is a development of the bubble jewellery, but which features a peacock feather-like motif. The terminal heart-shaped motif has also been used on its own in his jewellery designs, and is described as a lily-pad.
A glorious Grant Norman peacock pendant, in enamel and sterling silver, with 1973-1974 Edinburgh hallmark. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details.
He also made many pieces in what could loosely be described as an Art Nouveau style, often with blowsy floral and botanical motifs:
Norman Grant floral necklace, hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1979. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details.
Norman Grant ginkgo leaf enamel and sterling silver pendant and chain. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).
as well as scenes of local Scottish life:
Norman Grant sterling silver brooch of a thatched croft, hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1980. Click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).
He also made nature-based pieces in a more modern style:
Norman Grant floral pendant and chain, with a 1978 Edinburgh hallmark. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).
Norman Grant pendant and necklace, hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1973-1974. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details (NOW SOLD).
Norman Grant enamel and sterling silver ring. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery. Click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).
and more modernist, abstract pieces:
Norman Grant pendant and chain. For sale in my Etsy shop, Inglenookery: click on photo for details. (NOW SOLD).
After Grant retired from jewellery making to work for De Beers in London in the early 1980s, but his company, Dust Jewellery, continued making jewellery into the 1990s.
There are a couple of good articles online about Grant which are well illustrated and well worth a read:
http://www.modernsilver.com/normangrant.htm
https://www.modernvintagestyle.co.uk/blog-section/about-norman-grant-jewellery
